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Why Android GPS are so pathetic without data

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deltaforce

Android Enthusiast
I have HTC One X. Prior to this I had HTC Sensation XL. In the beginning of both of these phones, I was pretty impressed with GPS reception without data. Now that I am using One X exclusively, I noticed that reception is totally pathetic, to the level of being useless, without data.

Any idea what the heck is going on and if you can fix it?
 
The gps only detects where you are. That works fine without data.

If you want navigation you need data
 
A possible explanation is that some devices have only A-GPS, which requires connection to a location server. The location server uses cell tower proximity to tell the device which satellites to look for, and performs the calculations required to determine the position of the device. Without data, A-GPS won't work. Some devices also have GPS, which will work without a data connection.

With GPS and an app that stores maps locally, you can easily get navigation function without a data connection.

Maybe the HTX One X only has A-GPS?
 
I'm sure the time to get a location fix with GPS on any device without data(A-GPS) can be extremely variable, depending on the environment. If you're standing perfectly still and have a complete view of the whole sky, like the Mongolian grasslands :) any device should get a fix resonably quickly, five minutes at the most. But on the other hand if you're in an urban canyon, can't see much sky, lots of signal reflections, and your moving, it could take ages, may not even get a fix at all.

The A-GPS data tells the GPS where the satellites are, so should be able to get a location fix very quickly. Othewise it has to work out where the satellites are for itself, which is why there can be a problem with getting an initial fix in urban canyons, especially if you're moving.
 
Thank you folks.

I am not too sure if you need data for navigation. may be you are true, and if you are, I must it is pathetic implementation of what is called as GPS in mobile phones. And those charlatan gadget gurus keep telling us that GPS units are obsolete. May be in other countries but not in the US, where is signal outside major cities is sketchy. If your phone can connect to GPS satellites, why it can not offer you navigation just as GPS unit? (may be you guys don't know the answer but this is my primary question.)

HTS One X specification says, it has GPS with A-GPS support. I can not make head and tail of it.

What confuses me is, when I get directions over data and I am out of data zone, it can reroute me very well. So essentially, it can get new directions without data. How does it do that? (because now there is no data and I don't have offline downloaded Google maps). I believe, there is something amiss here. Should the directions need data connection, it should not be able to reroute me without data, right? Correct me if I am wrong.

Of course, I don't live on grassland but my Garmin catches satellites within a minute whereas One X 'keeps looking for the satellites'. The units are sitting next to each other..

So I guess, at the end of the day, all I am asking is, if GPS implementation in the phones is same as GPS units and if not, do you guys think such implementation will ever occur?

BTW, the video is interesting. Although I knew almost everything, nuclear detonation didn't occur to me. Good use of technology (but I guess, even without it, we will be able to figure out with seismic effects of a detonation.)
 
deltaforce said:
What confuses me is, when I get directions over data and I am out of data zone, it can reroute me very well. So essentially, it can get new directions without data. How does it do that? (because now there is no data and I don't have offline downloaded Google maps). I believe, there is something amiss here. Should the directions need data connection, it should not be able to reroute me without data, right? Correct me if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

If you set the route while connected to a data source, Google navigation will download the information for the entire route, including alternates and side streets. As long as you don't deviate too far, you can get rerouted with the saved data. If you venture out of the are without data, it will eventually fail.
 
deltaforce said:
... HTS One X specification says, it has GPS with A-GPS support. I can not make head and tail of it...
Click to expand...
A-GPS means the phone can use a data connection for a faster satellite lock but it won't need it if a data connection isn't available.

Exactly this way works my HTC One X :)

My turn-by-turn car navigating app (Navigon) and other offline GPS apps of mine work completely without a data connection, while calculating the route and while navigating.
Navigon's settings has even the option to opt out the use of a data connection.
Only if I want to use the app's actual online info about traffic, parking, POIs etc. I've to use a data connection.

If I use Google Maps I can use its downloaded offline maps for to see me on my actual location, but for Maps Navigation I need a data connection and also for searching a location or using stared places.

Harry
 
deltaforce said:
... I am not too sure if you need data for navigation. may be you are true, and if you are, I must it is pathetic implementation of what is called as GPS in mobile phones. And those charlatan gadget gurus keep telling us that GPS units are obsolete. May be in other countries but not in the US, where is signal outside major cities is sketchy. If your phone can connect to GPS satellites, why it can not offer you navigation just as GPS unit? (may be you guys don't know the answer but this is my primary question.) ...
Click to expand...

It can. It just needs a mapping app that has all maps stored locally (your SDCard). Google, for example, is free but you need to download maps as you go, hence the need for a data connection. You can pre-download some maps for offline use BUT if you stray out of this narrow area you need the data connection again. Plenty of mapping applications out there that do NOT rely on data, where all their map data is stored locally thus negating the need for a data connection. A cursory 'search' of this forum will bring up plenty of suggestions.

Dave
 
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